Aug. 1, 1990

What creature has a fedora, mask, specially designed cape and walks among the living dead? The answer is not some rerun vampire, but the debut of the modern vampire. Dale LeRoux and James LaPointe, both 1978 graduates of Westbrook High School, are the authors of one of the newest “Gothic” comic books to hit the stands: “Bloodquest.” The comic book, drawn in black and white and written without word balloons, chronicles the struggles of Paul LaCell, a Port City TV news reporter for WVMP turned vampire, and his evil nemesis, Ivan Von Drool. The comic book will be “somewhat horror, somewhat superhero,” said LaPointe, and is aimed primarily at the “collector audience.” LeRoux agreed, saying “Bloodquest” is not “a LaVerdiere’s-type comic book,” but comparable to a PG-13 movie. LeRoux does most of the artwork while LaPointe writes the script.

Gorham, like its neighbor Westbrook, allows lunch wagons to do business as long as they stay no longer than 30 minutes at each stop. But while Westbrook’s trucks have caused controversy, in Gorham they’ve gone unnoticed, despite the fact they apparently lack the necessary victualer’s license. Lunch wagons visit businesses in the Gorham Industrial Park and other areas in town, said Code Enforcement Officer Dave Grysk. Yet none has a victualer’s license to operate, according to Town Clerk Brenda Caldwell.

A section of Ash Street in downtown Westbrook is slowly sliding into the Presumpscot River, leading the City Council to close it off until repairs can be made. Street Superintendent Elwyn Cole said the road has dropped 30 percent so far. “It’s a dangerous situation,” he said.

Advertisement: Debonaire Delivery Fran-A-Grams, bringing life to your party. Any hour, any day, we’ll come. Balloons, balloons, balloons. Party favors of all kinds. Visit our new showroom at 345 Brown St., Westbrook, corner of Bridge and Brown.

Mr. and Mrs. Rene E. Marier, 567 Saco St., Westbrook, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary June 25 at DiMillo’s Restaurant, Portland. Mrs. Marier is the former Eva Boivin. They were married in St. Hyacinth Roman Catholic Church on June 25, 1930. They have four daughters, 13 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Aug. 2, 2000

Ignoring the arguments of a group of citizens who wanted the city to wait, perhaps until it adopts a new comprehensive plan, Westbrook’s City Council voted 7-0 after midnight early yesterday to approve changing the zones of 220 acres out back on Prides Corner hill to Business Highway, to allow a proposed new shopping center. Discussion went on for several hours. Wolcott Gaines of the Searle Group, Windham, principal developer of the proposed Shops at Prides Corner, said earlier Monday that his firm will have two partners in developing the center, CBL & Associates Properties, Chattanooga, Tenn.; and the Seitz Group, Dallas, Texas. Gaines has predicted a total retail area of 500,000 square feet. No specific retailers were revealed.

The Montsalvo Corp., 200 Riverside Industrial Park, Portland, manufacturer of braking systems for heavy equipment, is ready to relocate to Gorham and build a 25,000-square-foot facility in the Gorham Industrial Park. The company has 50 employees and plans to add 10 over the next year. Montsalvo is asking the town to issue a $2.5 million low-interest industrial revenue bond and loan it to the company to partly finance the project. The plan has the endorsement of the Gorham Economic Development Corp. and was set to go before the Town Council last night.

Retired Westbrook businessman Peter Beal has received Junior Achievement’s first annual National High School Classroom Volunteer of the Year award. He was selected from among 150,000 JA volunteers nationwide for his exceptional classroom volunteerism and his dedication to educating and inspiring young people to see how free enterprise, business and economics can improve the quality of their lives.

Recent storms destroyed a pair of town trees and damaged three library computers, Gorham Town Manager David Cole said Friday. High winds and thunderstorms took down a tree on the Municipal Center lawn and a pine tree in Robie Park. Lightning struck near the library and knocked out three computers. “We are scrambling to replace those and bring the library services back on line,” Cole said.

Ervin and Christine Kimball, Harding Bridge Road, Gorham, renewed their marriage vows in St. Anne’s Church May 20 with more than 100 family, friends and loved ones in attendance. The celebration, officiated by the Rev. Ernest Le’Heureux, marked 45 years of marriage for the couple. They were wed May 9, 1955, in Most Holy Trinity Church, Saco. As a special gift, members of the Portland Community Chorus sang before, during and after the Mass.

This building at 820 Main St. was known for years as the Peterson Block. Paul’s Garage, owned by Paul Lebel, operated out of the first floor in the 1940s. New England Telephone Co. operated the Westbrook Exchange on the second floor for many years before moving to Portland. Stultz Auto and later Stultz Sporting Goods, owned by Charles Stultz, took over the first floor when Paul’s Garage moved out. Durgin-Snow Publishing Co., owned by Roger Snow, publisher of the Westbrook American and the South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Journal, opened his office in this building in the early 1950s. Harry Foote purchased the business and operated from this location for years. Cumberland Farms opened its first Westbrook store here before building a new store on Main and Stroudwater streets. The building has undergone a complete renovation and a third floor was added. Offices occupy the second and third floors. The first floor is retail space for a photography studio and a clothing consignment shop. To see more historical photos and artifacts, visit the Westbrook Historical Society at the Fred C. Wescott Building, 426 Bridge St. It is open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon, and the first Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m., September-June. Inquiries can be emailed to westhistorical@myfairpoint.net. The website is www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org. Photo and research courtesy of Mike Sanphy